


Meeting The Family

by robindrake93



Series: Fluffcember 2020 [21]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alzheimer's Disease, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, One Shot, POV Third Person, Percy Jackson is a good boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28214958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robindrake93/pseuds/robindrake93
Summary: Luke takes Percy to meet his mother for the first time.
Relationships: Luke Castellan/Percy Jackson
Series: Fluffcember 2020 [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035222
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Meeting The Family

**Author's Note:**

> To revert the font color back to black, click "Hide Creator's Style" up at the top. 
> 
> Don't reupload/repost my fics.

Percy and Luke have been dating for almost two years, which meant that they had celebrated one Chanukah together. That was with Percy’s mom Sally, stepdad Paul, and baby sister Estelle. It was a successful first holiday. Percy was looking forward to a second one...except maybe they could spend it with Luke’s family this year too. 

“Hey, Luke?” Percy said one day as they were getting ready for bed. 

“Yeah?” Luke turned down the covers and got into bed. He sat against the headboard with a pillow behind his back because he liked to read for a while before going to sleep. 

Percy paused, taking care to choose his words thoughtfully. “Did you want to spend some time with your family this year? I still haven’t met them.” 

Luke went strangely tense at the mention of his family. This wasn’t unusual; he normally did. 

Percy didn’t know much about the Castellans. Only that Luke’s dad had walked out on him and his mom and Luke didn’t have any siblings. He wasn’t even sure that Luke’s mom was alive. Luke didn’t talk about her, or his past. Percy didn’t even know her name. 

“I’ll think about it,” Luke said after a long silence. He looked down at the book in his lap and instead of reading, he set it on the nightstand and wiggled down to get comfortable for bed. 

Percy snuggled up to Luke’s back as the big spoon. 

In the morning, they made love before even getting out of bed. It was very good. After, they showered together. Luke washed Percy’s hair, as he did whenever they didn’t have to rush. “I’ll take you to visit my mom today, if you’re still interested.” 

Percy nodded. “I’d like to, but only if you’re comfortable with it.” He didn’t add that it would have hurt if Luke didn’t want Percy to meet his family. He wouldn’t guilt Luke like that. 

Luke rinsed Percy’s hair. Then he kissed Percy’s cheek. 

Percy washed Luke’s hair and body, which led to more love making. By the time they got out, Percy was in a great mood. He dried off and dressed quickly. 

Luke moved slower. A furrow appeared between his eyebrows and didn’t go away. Percy meeting his mom was clearly something that stressed him out but he said nothing about changing his mind. The smiles he flashed Percy were not as reassuring as Luke seemed to think they were. 

“What’s your mom’s name?” Percy asked as they ate a breakfast of sausage and toast. 

“May. Her name is May,” Luke said. He ate the last of his sausage and took his plate to the sink. 

Percy finished his breakfast and joined Luke. “Does she live in New York?” 

“No. She lives in Connecticut.” Luke pursed his lips in thought. He rinsed his plate and put it in the dishwasher. “About an hour and a half drive from here.” 

“Are we going to go now?” Percy did the same with his dishes. He was excited and nervous to meet Luke’s mom. May. What was she like? 

Luke nodded. “You ready?” 

Percy nodded. 

Luke drove them to Connecticut. He pulled into the parking lot of a nursing home. He said nothing as he led the way into the building and signed them in. The nurses knew him by name. And what’s more, was that _he_ knew _them_ by name too. Luke took Percy’s hand as he led him down a corridor. 

Room number four was the one they stopped outside of. There was a name plaque that said _May Castellan_ on it. 

Luke opened the door. “Hi mom.” 

Sitting in a chair by the window was May Castellan. Her long hair was white as snow. She was scarecrow thin, wearing a worn summer dress. When Luke greeted her, she turned to look at them. Her eyes were a shocking pale green, almost completely colorless. “Luke!” 

Luke looked relieved, somehow. He went into the room and kissed the top of May’s head. “This is my boyfriend, Percy.” 

Percy followed shyly. He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of May but he smiled and waved. 

May looked at Percy and squinted. She tilted her head to one side. Then she broke into a smile that lit up her whole face. “Hermes!” May threw her arms around Percy’s neck and hugged him tightly. She pulled back and wagged a finger at him. Her pale green eyes glittered. “I knew you’d come, my love. Luke thought you were gone for good but I knew you’d be back.” 

Percy threw a desperate look to Luke. What was he supposed to do? “I...I…” 

Luke looked equally distressed. He made a hand motion but Percy didn’t know what it meant. Seeing the continued confusion only made Luke’s distress more obvious. “Mom, you…uh...why don’t you show him around?” Luke floundered. 

May took Percy’s hand. “Oh, of course. You haven’t seen the new house yet.” She led him around her room, showing him pictures of Luke’s dad and Luke and herself when they were all younger. May told him the stories behind the pictures, until she got to one of herself and Hermes sitting together on the hood of an old car. “Remember that? We were so in love back then. And you drove that car so fast. It always excited me,” May said wistfully. 

Luke followed them, anxiety written into the lines of his face. At this moment, he looked like an old man. 

Once Percy realized that Luke wouldn’t help him - or didn’t know how to help him - he stopped looking at Luke. “You were beautiful.” He paused, then added, “You still are.” 

May laughed and batted at his arm. “Hermes! You always were a flatterer and the best damn liar I ever knew.” 

The visit went like that for a while. May introduced Percy as her lost husband to the nurses and other patients. Everyone went along with it. Some of the patients looked confused but no one said outright that May was wrong. The trio made their way outside to sit in the afternoon sunlight and soak up some warmth. 

As they sat in the garden, May took a critical look at Percy. She suddenly jerked away from him. “You aren’t Hermes.” It was said like an accusation. 

“No,” Percy agreed. He shifted so that he was closer to Luke. “I’m Percy.” 

“Percy is my boyfriend, mom,” Luke said again. 

If she heard Luke, she gave no indication of it. “I’d like to go home now,” May said. 

“You are home, mom,” Luke said. This was the only thing that he argued with her about for the entire visit. 

May looked around, confused and growing angry. “I’ve never been here in my life. This certainly isn’t home. Honestly, Luke, your memory must be going. Did you hit your head?” 

Luke looked pained but he visibly let it go. “We’ll go home soon, mom.” They sat in silence for a few moments. “Isn’t the garden pretty?” 

May looked around and gave an irritated huff. Then she looked directly at Luke. “You’re the reason your father left us.” 

Percy recoiled in shock. Why would she say that? How could she say that to Luke? He opened his mouth. 

Luke caught his eye and subtly shook his head. To his mother, all he said was, “Okay.” After that, Luke convinced May to go back inside and eat lunch with the others. He told her that they were at a restaurant and surely she must be hungry. 

May went with them but she didn’t eat much, even with Luke and the nurses trying to coax her to eat. 

Percy watched in silence, just observing. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he knew that May was somehow sick and Luke was slowly reaching his limits. 

Finally, Luke kissed May’s head again and said goodbye to her. “Love you, mom,” he said quietly. He jerked his chin to signal it was time to go. 

“Bye, May. It was nice meeting you,” Percy said. He followed Luke out of the nursing home and back to the car. Back in the car, Percy sat in the driver's seat. The engine growled and the heater blew cold air on them. Percy took a few moments to organize his thoughts and impressions. This wasn’t what he’d expected when he asked to meet Luke’s family for the holiday. “What’s wrong with her?” Percy asked softly. 

Luke rubbed his face with both hands. He swallowed audibly. “She has Alzheimer’s.” 

“Oh,” Percy said, not entirely sure what that meant. Something to do with her memory deteriorating, he thought. “Can it be cured?” 

Luke shook his head no. “It’s one hundred percent fatal.” He looked so sad, like he was already grieving May. Maybe he was. “Most people only know about the memory thing but that’s only a small part. It’s going to eat away at her brain and body. She’s going to forget how to walk and eat and drink. She won’t remember how to swallow and her brain will stop telling her that she’s hungry and thirsty. And after that, she’ll die of malnutrition.” Luke closed his eyes. Tears rolled down his cheeks. “But that’s not for...for years.” He said _years_ like it was a terrible, awful thing. 

“I’m sorry, Luke,” Percy said. He didn’t know what else to say. He couldn’t imagine anything like that or how awful it had to be for both of them. This was only their second year together as a couple, but they had been friends for eight years before this; ever since they met when Percy was twelve. It had taken a long time for Luke to open up about May. “Hey,” he said gently but firmly. “You aren’t alone in this anymore, alright? I’ll be here with both of you.” 

Luke used his sleeve to wipe his face dry. “Thanks, Percy.” 

Percy reached across the seat and took Luke’s hand. “Thank you for bringing me to meet her.” 

Luke clasped his hand tightly. His smile didn’t reach his eyes but there was relief there.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it isn't exactly fluff, but I've had this idea in my head for a long time and this was a good excuse to write it.


End file.
